Wednesday, February 2, 2011

New school for the new year

After spending 14 months in Cherie Hearts, it's time to bid farewell to join a new school, with new friends and new teachers after the Chinese New Year.

If you remembered I wrote an entry just when she started to go to infant care.Sophie has been attending infant care since she was four months right after my maternity leave ended. I can still remember the roller coaster of emotions in the first two days when I entrusted my little babe into the hands of strangers who will spend more hours in a week taking care of her. The feelings was so mixed that on the second day after I left her I was weeping and asking myself if it was the best decision.

Her favorite activity in school, gym time!

But now fast forward 14 months later, I can truly say that infant care option does have it's good side. With her being constantly surrounded by teachers and older toddlers, I believe she's more vocal that some kids her age. Also she's more independent and learning how to eat on her own is one of them. I would like to think her infant care environment has taught her social skills which explains her friendly disposition. And she's also learnt that she's not the queen in the school as there are other babies that the teachers have to tend to as well.

Playing with the toys in school

So it is not as cruel as some people think it is. In fact this arrangement has worked out pretty well for us since the child care is near to both our offices... minus the fact that this option has been financially taxing.

She's had many memorable moments in school I'm sure as she went through so many of her first there, first time eating solid food, first time walking, talking, waving her hands, etc...Gosh in fact because I'm a full time working mom I have not always been the one to witness all these milestones for her but to rely on this blog to remind me of these significant moments. Of course I also recall the times when she's gotten complained, like when she was teething and bit two of her friends (gasp!), when she throws tantrums and refuse to let certain teachers take care of her, when she can only take her naps if she's on the bouncer and when she behaved all princessy and cried when doing hand and finger painting.

Sophie's name right on the top, meaning she's the oldest toddler in her infant care group!

The teachers joked that with her now gone, they'll have to wait for the next class monitor to rise up as Sophie is their little helper in school. Because she's the oldest and can remember all the kids names, she'll help the teachers bring the bottle of milk to the babies or the teachers when it's feeding time. When I went to her school on the last day I was impressed that she could tell me the names of her friends name by looking at the photo of them. Of course she cant pronounce all of them clearly but you can make out who she's referring to!

With one of her teachers, Teacher Farhana who dotes on her

Saying good byes are always so bitter sweet. And even though I'm not her, I know she enjoyed the time she's spent in Cherie Hearts and will surely miss her teachers and friends whom she's grown up with. I hope that she'll be just as adaptable to the new school and will come to enjoy her next phase of growing up years.